The Trustees of the History of Parliament have appointed Dr Stephen Roberts as the Director of the History of Parliament with effect from 1 January 2018. Dr Roberts will hold the directorship for a term of three years, while the current Director, Dr Paul Seaward, holds a British Academy/Wolfson Research Professorship. Dr Roberts has since 1997 been the editor of the 1640-60 Section of the History, which is currently very close to completion. He is also co-editor of Midland History, has been general editor of the Worcestershire Historical Society, and a vice-president of the Cromwell Association. He has written very extensively on seventeenth century political and religious history in addition to many biographies and constituency articles for the History.
 
Gordon Marsden MP, the History of Parliament Trust's Chair, said ‘I am delighted that we have appointed Stephen to the Directorship. The Trustees are very thankful to be able to appoint someone who is not just a greatly respected historian but also someone whose broad administrative and management experience in a number of local and community historical groups outside Parliament will stand the History in good stead as we continue to broaden our outreach and historical engagement to a wide range of audiences outside as well as to those working in both Houses of Parliament at a key moment for our development. I know that all of us, Trustees  and staff, are looking forward to working with Stephen in his new capacity as Director of the Trust.'

Professor John Morrill, the Chairman of the Editorial Board, said that ‘We are enormously pleased that Stephen will become the next Director of the Trust. He is a major historian, who has seen through a huge project of extraordinary importance to our understanding of seventeenth century British history and we have no doubt he will bring the same determination and management skills to the History as a whole’.